Winter party themes can keep the season enjoyable as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, so take off your stocking cap and put on your thinking cap instead. We've got dozens of themes you can choose from, plus lots of ways to make your cold-weather bash the hottest event in town. Depending on what activities and mood you want to set, you're got a ton of options.
Ideas for Winter Party Themes
There's a blizzard of winter themes suitable for all types of parties, from fun pajama parties to elegant dinner parties. Your theme will determine whether your party is a winter formal or a casual get-together, but either way, we promise it will be fun.
We love the idea of choosing a theme based on what you really want to celebrate. If you want to make the most of a holiday, that's perfect. So is celebrating your favorite part of winter (or having a tropical party that's all about winter weather denial).
Unique Winter Party Themes
Creating a one-of-a-kind winter party requires a lot of creativity, but we've got your inspiration ready. Look to obscure holidays, movie references, and winter sports for unique and creative concepts that might become catchy winter party themes.
- Freezer Fete: Host a silly costume party where everyone dresses as an item from their freezer. Decorate the room to look icy and serve up snacks in ice cube trays. Add a freezer-shaped ice sculpture to complete the look.
- Mountain Masquerade: Celebrate cold mountain peaks with centerpieces that resemble tiny snow-covered mountains and hang a temporary mountain-view backdrop to one wall. Ask guests to wear their best ski gear, snowboard gear, or snow bunny gear.
- Cold Beer Bash: This cocktail party for adults can include ice-cold brews in chilled steins and trendy beer cocktails. Host the party at a local craft brewery and play classic drinking games like beer pong. Add in an icy beer luge for guests to get the ultimate cold draught experience. Ask guests to wear shirts and accessories with their favorite beer company's logo.
- Holiday Mash Bash: Mash-up all your favorite holidays from the winter months to create one unique party. Serve up the most popular foods from Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, New Year's, Valentine's Day, and any other winter holiday you want. Use a mix of classic decorations from each holiday. Ask guests choose one winter holiday to represent in some way like wearing a Santa costume, bringing Champagne and hosting a toast, or bringing a Jewish dish to pass.
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- Winter Character Celebration: This costume party for kids, teens, and adults celebrates all the awesome winter-themed characters from TV shows, movies, books, and other forms of media. Guests can come dressed as everyone from the Pokemon Articuno to a Game of Thrones White Walker or Mortal Combat icon Sub-Zero. Decorate with movie set items like clapperboards and cardboard cutouts of cool winter characters. Serve up fun winter foods from movies such as roast beast from The Grinch.
Classic Winter Party Themes
Classic winter themes embrace the beauty and richness of the winter months by using snow, ice, and other seasonal accents as the central focus of the party theme. There's a reason these themes are traditional; they're everyone's favorites.
Related: Winter Party Names to Inspire Your Guests to Brave the Cold
Give your classic winter party theme a new twist by serving a mocktail or cocktail that totally fits the theme. There are lots of great winter cocktail ideas, from Snowbank Eggnog to Rosemary Fizz. Same goes for non-alcoholic winter mocktails.
- Snow Social: The purity and simplicity of fresh fallen snow fits perfectly for a really easy winter theme you don't have to stress about. The party could include a snowball fight, making snowmen, cutting paper snowflakes, snacking on snow cones, or just enjoying the beauty of the season with white decorations and ice-blue accents.
- Winter Wonderland: This magical theme incorporates the season's fantasy aspects, along with simple snow details. Sleigh rides, ice sculptures, ornate snowflake decorations, and iced drinks are perfect for an elegant winter wonderland theme. Go with elegant foods that carry out the "white" decor, such as petit fours covered with white fondant and finger sandwiches.
- North Pole Party: Younger party guests (and those of us who just feel young) will enjoy a North Pole theme that includes a play sled dog expedition, polar bears, and maybe a glimpse of Santa's elves. Decorate with an Arctic white color scheme or create a setting that looks like Santa's workshop. Serve hot cocoa, wassail, warm cookies, and other cold-weather treats.
- Antarctic Adventure: This icy theme is fun and adventurous. Penguin decorations are the perfect accessories for this theme, as are dog sleds, snow skis, and other outdoorsy cold weather symbols. Pretend you're around a cold-weather campfire and tell ghost stories or sing a few favorite songs. Serve the kind of hearty fare you'd need to stay warm and keep nourished on this type of trip, such as winter soups, beef stew, thick slices of hearty bread, and hot beverages.
- Winter Sports Extravaganza: It's easy to plan a winter party around a favorite seasonal sport. Ice skating, sledding, skiing, snowboarding, and winter hiking are athletic options that can be accompanied by group lessons or trying a completely new chilly sport. Serve trail mix, sandwiches, hot dogs, and other treats that you'd be able to enjoy while joining in or watching these types of activities. Take along sports-theme decorations that can double as party favors — such as pom-poms for skates or cool-looking sunglasses.
- Chilly Friends Cotillion: Animal-loving guests will enjoy winter party themes involving a variety of winter animals. Arctic foxes, polar bears, penguins, beluga whales, harp seals, reindeer, moose, snowshoe rabbits, and elk are all fave winter animals. The party could include a trip to a zoo to meet them face-to-face, or you can watch nature documentaries about these furry friends. Serve popcorn, sausage dogs, and other treats that you can typically purchase at zoos and animal parks, even if you hold the party at home.
- Penguin Party: Penguins are pretty popular cold-weather animals, and an entire party could be themed around these quirky birds. Penguin movies such as March of the Penguins or Happy Feet are the perfect entertainment, and guests could wear all black and white to blend in with the flock. Serve black and white foods — like brownies with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream sundaes topped with chocolate syrup.
- Hot Cocoa Celebration: Warm up the season with a hot cocoa party. We promise guests will delight in unique flavors of chocolates and warm teas. We love the idea of arranging a hot chocolate buffet with different mixings, such as peppermint chips, whipped cream, marshmallows, cinnamon, butterscotch, caramel, and other decadent treats. Chocolate-scented candles and chocolate-dipped mixing spoons are tasty accents that serve double duty as decorations.
Holiday and Winter Event Themes for Parties
From Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day, there are tons of holidays and events during the winter months that are perfect for winter party themes. Let them be your inspiration.
- Thanksgiving Affair: Offer thanks for a bountiful crop of friends by throwing a Thanksgiving-themed party or dinner. Decorate with traditional turkey, pilgrim and cornucopia pieces, and serve a traditional turkey feast complete with all the trimmings.
- Solstice Soiree: Celebrate the official start of winter on December 21 with a winter solstice party. This theme may include the history of pagan rituals and other seasonal celebrations as well as simply warming up the cold with the company of friends. Display seasonal decor and winter solstice decorations, and serve warming winter treats including meatballs, sausage, hot spinach dip, and more.
Related: 15 Warming Foods & Drinks for Winter Solstice
- Shopping Social: Organizing a holiday shopping party is a great way to turn frustration into fun while hitting the crowded malls. An alternative is to hold a gift wrap party, where each guest brings different wraps and accents so every gift looks spectacular. Use glass bowls filled with bows and name tags as functional decorations and serve a casual menu featuring sandwiches, fruit and cheese trays, and chips.
- Christmas Celebration: A Christmas party is one of the most popular winter themes — for a reason. This type of celebration may include a wide variety of decorations, fun games, gift-giving, and dining on tasty treats ranging from yummy appetizers to traditional meals.
- Kwanzaa Kickoff: Kwanzaa is an important winter cultural celebration for people with African roots, and Kwanzaa party decorations should reflect this heritage. Serve a combination of traditional African favorites and Southern dishes, but the most important thing is sharing the experience of making and eating the food. Popular activities include joint preparation of the feast, candle-lighting, and book swapping.
- Hoorah for Hanukkah: Celebrations of Hanukkah are important traditions for people of the Jewish faith and are characterized by gathering of loved ones. Hanukkah party decorations should be simple and should include a menorah. Traditional fare includes latkes, challah, and more.
- New Year's Extravaganza: Celebrating New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are always popular party options to ring in the new year, and we think it's the perfect time for a winter party. Whether the parties are in the evening or during the day, they are a great way to start a new year. Decorations can range from casual party hats and noise makers to elegant ribbons and floral displays in crystal vases. Champagne is a must, as are delicious finger foods.
Related: Easy New Year's Day Buffet for a No-Stress Start
- Super Bowl Bash: In late January or early February, sports fans can celebrate one of the biggest sporting events of the year with a pigskin party dedicated to their favorite team. Decorate in team colors and serve hearty favorites like chili, burgers, hot dogs, cheesy dips, chicken wings, chips, and more. Set up at least two TV viewing areas for maximum enjoyment.
- Romantic Reception: Romantic parties aren't just for couples, and the mid-winter doldrums can be chased away with a sweetheart party on Valentine's Day. Decorate with red hearts and Cupids and serve foods often associated with romance like chocolate-covered strawberries, elegant finger foods, and Champagne or sparkling grape juice.
- Academy Awards Affair: The stars come out in late February, and a movie-themed party is a fun way to choose award winners, share popcorn, and cast ballots for favorite flicks. Consider having guests dress up like their favorite stars and roll out the proverbial red carpet for their arrival. In addition to popcorn, serve oversized glasses of soda, peanuts, and theater-size boxes of chocolate candy.
Warm Winter Party Themes
We've got a hot tip: Winter themes don't need to be confined to chilly choices. A quirky alternative to classic themes is to opt for a warm-up-the-winter party with a tropical motif or an indoor beach party.
The less conventional the theme, the more coordination you'll need to do between invitations, food, winter party decorations, favors, games, music, and other party elements. This isn't a bad thing, though, since planning a party is a lot of fun. Make sure you communicate with guests about any special attire or expectations, too.
- Luau Luncheon: Hula skirts, palm trees, and coconut drinks are a great way to forget the winter freeze. Decorate with silk flowers and adorn guests with leis and grass skirts. Serve roast pork, pineapple, and other tasty tropical delights.
- Indoor Beach Ball: Hit a local pool or enclosed hot tub for a tropical celebration even while the snow falls. Serve a beach picnic complete with sandwiches, coleslaw, potato chips, and other goodies. Decorate with beach pails and sea shells to complete the mood.
- Caribbean Celebration: Vibrant colors, reggae music, spicy foods, and tropical libations lend a decidedly Caribbean air to any event, no matter where or when it takes place. Consider holding a limbo dance competition for the bravest and most limber guests and play Calypso music throughout the event.
Bring Winter to Life
There are dozens of winter party themes to choose from, but the key to a successful event is not just the theme, but how you carry it out. By choosing an appropriate theme, you can easily create a stunning celebration to liven up the winter months and warm up friendships all year round.
